Fix a Heart

CHAPTER 1

PART 1

              My lungs couldn’t take it.  Soot and ash coated my face in such a thick layer that I could barely see.  Smoke kept hovering into my mouth, making it harder and harder to breath.  I tried to get up but my leg wouldn’t allow it.  I glanced at my leg and cringed at the sight of the bloody gash running from my knee to my ankle.  It seared in pain as I tried to lift my body off the ground. 

My head felt heavy, a thick paste of blood and ash weighing down my burgundy curls.  Once I was sitting up, I looked down at my dress.  My new black sequined BCBG dress, as well as my black patent leather heels, was ruined. I looked over to see a curly haired boy lying on the pavement.  “Oh God,” I thought.  “Why hadn’t I been paying attention?” 

I heard the blast of sirens in the distance mix with the crackling of the flames just as I slipped into unconsciousness.

PART 2

              The smell of disgusting food and hospital flooded my senses.  When I woke, all I saw were wires upon wires.  “What happened?” I thought.  As soon as I noticed my mother in the room, she fluttered her eyes and woke up.  I could tell that she had stayed the night, seeing that her chestnut hair was sticking out every-which-way.  Her emerald eyes filled with tears as she saw me awake.  She hopped up and came to my side. 

   “Sweetie, oh my God. I…” I could barely hear what she was saying, her words thick with tears.

   “Mom, I’m fine. I’m alive, aren’t I?”  She laughed through the sobs and nodded.  Her face suddenly turned solemn, though. 

   “Mom, what’s the matter?”  She held her breath. 

   “Ashlyn, sweetheart, the boy you hit in the crash.  They don’t think he’s gonna make it.”

     PART 3

              The only thought that came to mind was that I had to see him.      “Mom?”

   “Yes, Ashlyn?” 

   “I have to see him.”

   “Ashlyn, I understand you may be feeling guilty, but…”

   “No!” I cut her off. “I’m seeing him whether you like it or not.”

She looked at me with an incredulous stare until her aged face finally softened and she offered to help me get into the wheel chair.  My leg felt like it weighed a million pounds with my cast on.  I lugged it over the side of the bed and clumsily fell into the wheelchair with a thud.

Once she wheeled me into the ICU corridor, chills ran up my spine, beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and my hair started sticking to the back of my neck. 

When we arrived at his door, all I could hear were doctors rushing around and yelling.  As soon as I grabbed the door handle, there was a loud, ear-piercing beep.